Love is Strange
by Cuppycakegirlxx
Summary: Aang has finally decided to ask Katara the big question but will something stop them from achieving true happiness? And will Kimiko  new character  ever let down the hard wall she'd built for herself?
1. Ask Me

**I don't own ATLA, can't wait for Legend Of Korra to come out. I kind of think it's sad that Aang and the gang are gone but it's ok, I have the DVD so I can watch them all over again. And again. So I'm ok. **

**And for any questions that might come up, yes Kimiko is a made up character, I love making up new characters so I can be the new character and say things I would say if I were in that situation. No she's not a bender since I figure that we already have a firebender, an earthbender and a waterbender and the Avatar it would be useless to add another of the same bender. She's a collabo of my brother and my friend (sarcastic and headstrong)**

**Ask Me**

Aang continued to brush out Appa's fur. The huge Flying bison had been carrying the younger children of the Southern Water tribe around for over an hour and was exhausted. Aang shivered against a sudden blast of cold wind. He was used to the normally below freezing temperatures in the South Pole. Actually, he was used to many things, but one thing he knew he'd never be used to was the sight of a certain beautiful waterbender making her way towards him. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her slender frame. He dropped the brush.

"Hey Aang," Katara smiled at him. He smiled back. Her normally plaited hair was pulled up in a bun. She must have been cleaning the house with Kimiko.

"Good morning Katara," he kissed her lightly on the lips. He'd grown taller than her in the last few months. Katara didn't mind, it felt nice when he pulled her up and close to him.

"My father wants to talk to you, he says it's urgent." Katara looked up at him, wondering if he knew what her father wanted.

"Okay, I'm coming," he patted the bison, who gave a contented growl.

"And you'll tell me what he asked you?" Aang grinned. Katara was nosy, and stubborn. He still loved her anyway.

"Maybe," he kissed her nose before running off. Katara knew it was pointless running after someone who was faster than the wind.

Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water tribe sat in his tent, waiting for the young Avatar to appear. He flickered through a pile of papers until Aang pushed aside the heavy curtains and stepped in.

"Ah, Aang, sit down." Aang sat across from Hakoda. Hakoda watched Aang quietly for a while to the point that Aang began to feel quite self conscious.

"Aang, what are your intentions towards my daughter?" Hakoda asked. Aang wasn't surprised; he figured the question would pop up. Sokka and Suki had been married a month ago and were now honeymooning somewhere in Kyoshi Island. Zuko and Mai too were married six months ago and were still probably enjoying life in Zuko's beach home on Ember Island. Kimiko, a friend they had picked up from the Ba Sing Sei, wasn't married but was being pursued, along with Katara, by many water tribe men.

"I just thought you should know that you have some competition." Hakoda handed Aang the stack of papers, all asking for Katara's hand in marriage. Aang flicked through them.

"I do plan on asking Katara," he handed the papers back. Hakoda nodded as if he'd already known Aang's answer and smiled.

"Good, I know you can protect her." Aang smiled and bowed and raced out of the tent.

And crashed right into Kimiko.

"Ouch Aang, doesn't super speed come with brakes or something?" The short fourteen year old girl picked up the now empty bucket she'd been carrying and tried to wring the water out of her long dark black hair.

"Sorry Kimiko, I'm just gonna go get something for Katara, it's a surprise!" He continued speeding until he was just a speck in the snow white distance.

"Hey Kimiko, was that Aang?" Kimiko jumped and spun around.

"Is everyone bent on making me go into shock?" She huffed. "Yeah, that was your boyfriend, said he's going to get a surprise for you."

"Really, what is it?" Katara pleaded. Kimiko sighed.

"Katara, do what people like us do and wait until he comes back." She laughed when Katara pouted. "So, have you seen Toph?"

"She's in the house, she doesn't like the ice because it's cold and she can't see.' Kimiko nodded and walked away.

"I still need water for cleaning." Katara reminded her. Kimiko sighed and walked back in the opposite direction towards the river.

It had been hours and Aang still wasn't back, Katara's mind flashed through all the terrible things that could have caused him to go. Maybe he'd run away, maybe he didn't love her like she loved him, maybe…

"Hey, Sweetness, calm down," Toph's voice jolted Katara out of her gloomy thoughts. "Twinkle Toes is coming, I can feel his vibrations." As if on cue, Aang appeared in the doorway. He was immediately tackled by a joyful Katara.

"Don't you ever, EVER, do that to me again!" She was hugging him tightly. He laughed.

"If I was going to get this kind of greeting whenever I leave I'll start travelling more often," he teased.

"Haha, you're hilarious," Katara shook her head.

"Okay, but there was a reason I left," he took her hand and led her outside. "Close your eyes," he whispered against her ear. His breath sent shivers down her neck. She obediently closed her eyes.

"Okay, open!" She opened her eyes and saw him holding up a necklace. An engagement necklace. It was made of the smoothest cerulean blue beads that brought out her eyes. He had carved the water symbol into the pendant at the centre. The necklace seemed to glow in the pale silver white of the moon.

She looked up at Aang, unsure what to say. She reached out her hand for it. He fastened it around her neck. Katara fingered it and began to cry.

"Katara, what's wrong?" Aang looked worried. Katara smiled through her tears.

"I don't know, I always thought it was silly when the heroine starts crying when the hero confesses his love and now here I am doing the exact same thing!" She laughed and threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Aang wrapped his arms around her waist and considered the kiss her way of saying 'yes'.


	2. Surprise Guests

**Again, I do not own ATLA, just this story and I hope you like it **

**Also, I kind of borrowed the Fire Nation meeting part from Forever and For Always by Cassidy Alice because I thought it was really cool and loved reading it (except that really sad chapter when Katara died and went to be with Aang and all the others)**

**Surprise Guests**

Kimiko had always been naturally spontaneous so when Aang and Katara had come back into the tent and she'd noticed the necklace, she'd immediately tackled them both in a huge hug that defied her size. Or rather, her lack of it. Kimiko had insisted on making Katara's wedding dress. No one had minded since she'd made Suki and Mai's wedding dresses and the two had turned out beautifully. She had also been the chief bridesmaid and Katara had been maid of honour at both weddings. Kimiko was an artist at heart and knew exactly what she wanted.

"Okay, it's going to be strapless but flowy, no funny poofs, right Katara?" Kimiko fingered the different fabrics in various shades of blue.

"Yeah, okay," Katara was still in a state of shock. Aang had proposed over a month ago but she still couldn't believe she was going to become his wife. Kimiko held up an ultramarine blue fabric next to her and shook her head. Then she held up a beautiful indigo blue cloth.

"Yes, I've found it!" She turned to Katara, "okay, you can go now, I'll be done with this dress in three days." She shooed her out of her sowing tent which was where Sokka's watch tower used to be during the war. It had now been converted into a small tent for Kimiko to do all her tailoring. Katara felt strangely useless. She went off to find Aang.

Aang smiled to himself as he remembered the day he proposed to Katara. It had only been a month ago. He turned when he heard the ice crunch. Katara was picking her way across to him. There'd been a slight snowstorm so a fresh layer of snow covered the ground.

"I'm bored," she declared as she flopped down next to him. Aang smirked and bent a small stream of cold water at her. She squealed and retaliated with her own stream. Soon there was a full out waterbending battle happening. Katara finally collapsed in the snow, laughing too hard to continue.

"Fine, you win," she bended the water out of her clothes. Aang did the same.

"Still bored?" She hugged her knees up to her chin.

"No, besides, the stars are coming out." The pale pink light of the sunset was slowly fading into the midnight blue of night. Tiny pinpricks of light dotted the sky. Katara sighed and leaned against Aang. He put his arms around her. She snuggled closer. For a while, silence reigned as the couple watched the stars and constellations twinkle in the distance.

"Hey, what's that?" Katara stood up and peered out at the sea. A dark shape was making its way across the water. It was shaped kind of like a fire nation ship! For a second, Katara remembered how she'd felt when the Fire nation had attacked her tribe all those years ago. Her natural instinct was to bend it to the bottom of the sea.

Aang held her hand and peered with her. "Hey, isn't that Zuko?" Katara's eyes widened as the ship came closer. Sure enough, the young Firelord was standing at the prow with a pregnant looking Mai beside him.

An hour later, everyone was gathered in Hakoda's tent reminiscing and talking. Sokka and Suki had arrived soon after Zuko.

"So Suki how's life with Sokka?" Katara asked slyly. Suki rolled her eyes.

"Your brother sleeps and snores like a pig," Sokka looked up from where he was consuming plate of seal jerky, "hey!" Suki and Katara laughed.

"But I still love him," she reached over and kissed him on the cheek. He grinned.

"So when's the wedding?" Mai smiled at Katara. Katara thought life with Zuko suited her; she was smiling a lot more nowadays.

"In a week, we didn't expect you to arrive so soon."

"You guys still have my wedding dresses?" Kimiko ceased talking to Mai's stomach and to the baby she believed could hear her.

"Yeah, it was beautiful," Suki said, referring to the two piece half shirt and ankle skirt she'd worn at her wedding. Mai's had been crimson and long and cinched in at the waist.

"So, what does your dress look like?" Mai looked at Katara; she blushed "It's..." Kimiko clapped her hand over her mouth.

"Um, fiancé and best man a.k.a. Aang and Sokka, are not supposed to know about or see the wedding dress." Aang looked confused. "Alright, Mai, Suki, Katara, to my tent." The girls adjourned to Kimiko's tent.

"I'm not quite done yet." She held up a half finished long blue dress. Katara ran her hand over the soft silk fabric.

"It's beautiful," Suki smiled at the younger girl. Kimiko shrugged and picked up a needle and continued stitching.

"I know, at this rate, I'll be done by tomorrow."

"So, Katara, are you happy?" Suki glanced at the young waterbender who had a dreamy smile on her face.

"Happy, I've never been happier," Kimiko smirked at her lovestruck expression.

"Twinkle Toes is outside." Toph announced from where she was sitting. Kimiko yanked apart the curtain to see the nervous looking airbender.

"Hey, can I talk to Katara?" Kimiko noticed that his eyes lit up when he saw his girlfriend, no, his fiancée, she had to start thinking of her as that.

"Do you remember that Fire Nation meeting?" Katara looked sideways at him in the moonlight. The stars had come out properly now and they illuminated the arrows that covered his body. Katara wondered why he'd brought it up. That meeting had been the worst meeting ever, and the main reason she never went to the Fire Nation meetings.

"_We need to ensure that the Avatar cycle is completed," one of the generals said. Aang nodded absently, his eyes fixed on the general but his mind on the beautiful waterbender sitting beside him. Her eyes were glazed over and she was absently bending a drop of water into random shapes. "…so I take it you agree?" Aang jumped. The general was staring at him, waiting for a reply._

"_Uh, agree to what?" The general gestured at the large map._

"_We need to populate the Air Temples, so I suggest…" Aang watched Katara's reaction to the suggestion. Her eyes narrowed then darkened in anger. Her fists clenched but she didn't say a word. Aang marveled at her control because he was struggling not to go into the Avatar state and kill someone i.e. the general who suggested the idea. The general, unaware of their reaction to the plan, continued, "however, we can still use you as backup in case it doesn't work," he offered to Katara. Katara stood and froze the general in question to the wall." Her eyes had gone steely._

"_How dare you, I will not be treated like that and I am no one's backup plan." She stalked out of the room. It probably didn't help that both Mai and Suki were restraining their boyfriends from hacking off the general's head and that Toph and Kimiko were cheering and yelling for them to let them teach him a lesson. Hakoda wasn't exactly doing anything to help either._

"Yeah, I remember, why?" Aang took a deep breath.

"The other generals decided to go ahead with the plan."

"They can't do that!"

"They said that if I didn't agree they'd take you away and I'd never see you again." Aang looked despondent. Katara bit her lip, Aang had had enough troubles without this.

"Aang…" she put her arms around him, "do you love me?" He nodded.

"With all my heart Katara."

"Would you fight for me?" He nodded and she snuggled closer. "Well then, I think you have your answer." Aang grinned and kissed her softly in the quiet glow of the moon.

**The whole generals attacking was my idea but I want to thank Cassidy Alice for her awesome stories (which you guys should read). This might be advertising or promoting but I want to. **


	3. Wedding Bells

**Does Aang have muscles? It's a stupid question but I figure that since that episode (last or second to the last) when he's stuck in that rock shell I've just been wondering ^_^ My friends already tell me I ask and do random things.**

**Also, to anyone who says I spent too much time describing the dress (that's what my brother said), that's kind of how I want my wedding dress to look (not blue though even though it's my favorite colour) and it was how my bridesmaid dress at my cousin's wedding looked (the dress was actually a couple of inches above my knees and it was red but you get the idea)**

**Wedding Bells**

Katara took a deep breath and slowly exhaled through her mouth. She was a nervous wreck; she diverted her attention to the dress.

It was gorgeous, deep blue silk that was strapless and flowed down her body and hugged her every curve in all the right places with a slit up the side and pale blue sandals. Kimiko was studying her handiwork with a self satisfied smirk. That girl was too smug, Katara thought. Suki was posing in front of the mirror in her bridesmaid dress. She was the maid of honour and Kimiko was chief bridesmaid, again. The girl honestly didn't mind, it just meant less dancing and she hated dancing. So did Toph, not just because she couldn't see, but because she naturally prancing about in a fancy dress.

"Are you guys done in there?" Kimiko sighed and peered out. Suki was helping Toph adjust her accessories. Sokka was outside looking impatient.

"If we were done we'd be outside." She shut the curtain. Sokka sighed, Kimiko could be very annoying. Only the fact that she was over spontaneous, funny and liked to laugh made her bearable. He walked back to the hut where Aang was waiting. The guy was even more nervous than ever. More so because he was sure the Fire Nation generals would be here. He was dressed in the traditional Air Nomad attire, Zuko was dressed in his normal fire nation outfit. Sokka had done the same.

"Do you think they're done?" Zuko glanced at Sokka. He shook his head.

"No, Kimiko told me." He turned to Aang who was bending some air into a small twister. "You nervous?"

"Of course I'm nervous!" Aang snapped and shut of the stream of air with a frustrated sigh.

"Hey, relax, I felt scared before I married Suki, just remember that she's the girl of your dreams and you wanna spend the rest of forever with her." Aang nodded, that at least took out one worry. He did love Katara and spending forever with her did sound good.

Kimiko darted back into the tent from where she'd been nibbling some of the snacks and making small talk with a guy she didn't know.

"Wedding's about to start," she hissed urgently. She tossed Katara a bouquet of flowers. Suki raised an eyebrow at her; they were in the South Pole, where did she find flowers? "Don't ask, just be glad they're here okay?" Kimiko patted Katara's hair which was left cascading down her back with beads woven in. "I am a genius," she put a hand over her heart.

"Quit boasting Kim, the wedding's starting!" Suki ushered them out.

Aang had seen Katara many times. On a daily basis in fact. But he'd never seen her look as beautiful as she did now as she made her way down the aisle. She looked shy and nervous which only added to her beauty. She stopped in front of him. He tipped her chin up, her blue eyes met his grey ones and she smiled shyly. He lowered his head slowly and kissed her gently to the sound of clapping friends and family.

"I love you," she whispered against his lips.

"I love you too," he whispered back and kissed her again.

Somewhere in the Fire Nation a furious and humiliated general stood before the other generals that had sided with him.

"Today is the day the Avatar marries that pathetic water tribe girl," his voice rang with power and authority, "so today is the day we attack and capture her, for the good of the world!" The generals yelled their agreement to the plan to destroy the love of the young couple on the happiest day of their lives.

**I have no idea if I'm going to even finish this thing, I just felt I needed to add a cliffy (not a good one but I don't really do good cliffies unless I'm really in an evil mood and when I wrote this I was feeling really happy since I'd gotten a really high grade at school ) this is my first ATLA story and third fanfic so plssssssssss be nice with the reviews (plsssss) thx!**


	4. I Don't Know

**I don't own ATLA, how many times do I have to say this? I wish I did though but I also wish for many things that I don't have.**

**This chapter is basically more on Kimiko since she's new and all. I didn't really write a lot on her before. So enjoy!**

**I Don't Know**

Kimiko fingered the frozen centerpiece on one of the tables. The wedding had ended and the new couple had adjourned to the tent Hakoda had given them. Kimiko sighed and let her mind wander for a few seconds on what her life would've been like if she'd known her parents and not had to grow up in the alleys of Ba Sing Sei with only her katana blades and fighting skills for protection. Sure she'd survived, but she still wondered.

Kimiko had never known her parents; she'd grown up in a scary orphanage. She'd run away when she was ten and had been alone until she turned thirteen and met Toph at a tournament. Until then she'd mastered the streets, she knew how to survive alone. Toph had envied her carefree, no over-protective parent life and she'd been incredulous at the fact that Toph didn't milk her parent's money and fame for all it was worth.

Kimiko shook her head, there was no point thinking like that. She should just be glad Toph had found her and they'd become friends. Because of Toph and the others, she had a home and a family. She knew Sokka found her smugness and sarcasm irritating but he still liked her. Every family needed a smart aleck, why couldn't it be her? Toph too was smug but she was older. She absently reached over to the snack bar and nibbled on a piece of sea slug. Not bad, she grabbed the bowl of it.

While she contemplated these things she felt the stool in front of her shift. She looked up to see a young man, he could only have been a year older than her, sitting in front of her. She eyed him warily.

"Can I help you?" She asked, not wanting to be rude but she wanted to be alone right now with her thoughts. And her smoked sea slug, it wasn't half bad even though it did look super gross.

"So, you're the famous Kimiko." She raised an eyebrow. Now that Katara was married Kimiko knew she'd become the next choice for all the men since Toph was too young. She had a fleeting thought of leading them all off a cliff.

"Yeah, I ask again, can I help you?" The man smiled a smile that had probably won a lot of hearts.

"I'm Maku."

"Okay, you already know my name so no point telling you." He laughed and his laugh irritated her. It was condescending and patronizing.

"Why don't we take a walk on the beach?" Kimiko sighed and nodded. She was lonely and bored since Toph had left complaining that her feet were frozen. And if anything happened she could always throw him off a cliff.

"Let's watch the stars." Maku suggested. Kimiko sighed again. She had to start reserving those for only the most annoying things.

"They're beautiful, but you're prettier," Kimiko almost laughed. In all her fourteen years that had to be the oldest line in the book. He really wasn't trying.

"And you're eyes are like the summer grass." The guy obviously thought he was some kind of poet. Plus, they were in the South Pole, where would you find summer grass? Again, she refrained from laughing.

"You're beautiful," he leaned in to kiss her. Whoa, back up, he'd just met her less than half an hour ago and he already wanted to kiss her? Kimiko slapped him and stood up feeling completely livid.

"Just who do you think you are?" She stormed back to her tent with a very shocked Maku on her tail.

"What, what did I do?" He was whining and clutching his cheek. What a baby, she thought, as she whirled around to face him.

"You don't know me and you want to kiss me, is something wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry, I'll be better tomorrow." Kimiko snorted. She reached for her swords which she usually kept strapped to her back and then remembered that Suki had made her promise to leave them behind in the tent. She still had her fists though.

"There's not going to be a tomorrow, or a day after that," or any day after that and so on and so forth.

"Oh, you'll change your mind," he laughed the type of laugh you do to a stubborn child. "I'm kind of hard to resist." He tried to lace his fingers with hers but she twisted his hand. Hard.

"Yeah, I don't think so." She gave his hand one more harsh twist before dropping it and disappearing back into her tent.

"I told you it wouldn't work out Maku," a vice came from behind him said. It was another young man. Maku turned and faced the man who wore a smirk on his face.

"She's just stubborn Bako," Maku scowled and rubbed his cheek. "I'll get her."

"No you won't," Bako laughed.

"Oh yeah, I'd like to see you do better!" Maku flared up. Bako shrugged.

"No, I'm good." Maku laughed.

"Bako, that's Kimiko, she's pretty and famous, what is wrong with you?"

"It's funny you know."

"What?"

"That we're brothers." Bako turned and walked away.

"So a creepy guy tried to hit on you?" Toph asked as she picked her nose. Kimiko sighed, Toph's manners were atrocious but the two were like sisters.

"Yeah, it was so weird." She loosened her ponytail and then helped Toph untangle her hair. She noticed that Toph's hair was getting quite long, it now reached far past her shoulders.

"Did you hit him?"

"Yes, I slapped him, hard." She felt a bit satisfied with that. "Suki made me leave my blades behind."

"You should have gotten me to hit him."

"You were asleep."

"True."

"So it's just you and me now Toph," Kimiko sighed. Now that Aang and Katara were married Sokka, Suki, Zuko and Mai would soon head out to continue their relative honeymoons.

"Yeah."

"Do you think we should go see your parents?" Toph gave her a look that showed exactly how she felt about the idea.

"Guess not." Kimiko snuggled into her bed and covered herself with her furs. The steady breathing of her companion told her that the blind girl was already fast asleep. Kimiko wished sleep could claim her as easily. She drifted off into a dreamless slumber.

The sunlight shining into the tent awakened Kimiko. She yawned and glanced over. Toph was still asleep. She pushed her hair out of her face and stepped out, stretching. She squinted against the bright sunlight glinting of the snow and ice. She let a small smile twitch at her lips, even though the South Pole was cold, she still loved the sight of the dazzling effect the sun had on the ice. She noticed Katara walking out of her tent with a dreamy smile on her face.

"Well someone looks happy." Katara turned and smiled at the younger woman.

"Good morning Kim."

"Morning Katara," Kimiko scratched her head. "Do you have a comb?" She desperately wanted to ask about Aang and everything but she felt the question was too personal.

"Oh, yeah, I'll get it for you," she disappeared back into her tent. Kimiko wondered what love felt like. She'd never been in love. She knew guys thought she was pretty but that wasn't love. Love wasn't based on outside appearances.

"Someone looks really happy," Kimiko heard Maku come from behind her. She scowled, did the guy not learn?

"Yes, I do feel happy, know what would make me happier?"

"What?"

"If you would go away!" Katara came outside when she heard Kimiko yell.

"Here Kim," she handed her the brush. She turned to face the man. "Maku, I suggest you leave Kim alone, she has a nasty temper when she's angry."

"Oh yeah?" He laughed nervously.

"Yeah, now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go brush out my hair." She began to walk back to the tent, brushing her hair with short angry strokes.

Kimiko watched Aang and Katara fly off on Appa. They were heading for the Western Air Temple for their honeymoon. She waved until the huge flying bison was but a speck in the distance.

"So, you're Kimiko?" A voice at her side asked.

"Yes, I'm Kimiko, what do you want?" She found herself facing a tall man. He looked about Maku's age but he clearly wasn't Maku though they looked a bit alike. Both were undeniably handsome, both probably irritating.

"Hey no need to be rude," he held up his hands in a gesture of surrender, "I'm Bako." Kimiko narrowed her eyes.

"Are you related to Maku?" He nodded.

"Yeah, he's my older brother." Kimiko nodded. "Has he been bothering you?"

"Yes, tell him to back off, okay?" The boy smiled. She frowned, at least he wasn't trying to ooze his way into her good graces. She continued brushing out her hair slowly. She noticed him watching her. For some reason, she felt a bit self conscious. When was the last time she ever felt shy?

Maku watched the brush glide smoothly through her hair. The sun glinted on it and turned it glossy black colour. She was pretty, no, she was beautiful. And she was hard inside. She looked all soft and girly on the outside with her large, vulnerable looking eyes, but on the inside she was steel. It was incredibly deceptive.

"What, are you so bored that all you can find to do is watch me?" She snapped.

"Why are you so mean?" Maku asked. Kimiko blinked. Was she mean? Sure she was sarcastic and had a tendency to snap when she got annoyed but did that make her mean?

"I'm not, I just don't like being followed around by guys like your brother."

"No one does." She smiled a bit.

"So, you alone?"

"Mmm, the gang's gone and Toph volunteered to stay with me but I'm hoping to convince her to go to Ba Sing Sei later to see her parents."

"Oh," was it just her or did he look a bit disappointed? "So, you're leaving?" Kimiko shrugged

"Okay, but, before you do, you should see something." He gestured for her to follow him. He led her to what looked like a cave. She paused in front of it uncertainly.

"What's wrong?" Bako glanced back at her.

"It's a cave," she pointed out.

"And?" He quirked a brow at her.

"I don't do caves," Kimiko was claustrophobic and hated the dark. She thought it was kind of oppressive and caves and tunnels were both narrow and dark. She had tried to get over her fears and had almost conquered her claustrophobia but the dark still terrified her for some unknown reason. Not night kin of dark because the moon was still there, the pure black kind of dark with no light and no way to escape.

"Relax, it's okay, just follow me." His voice was soothing, he held out his hand and without thinking she took it and allowed him to lead her down into the cave.

His hands were warm and sent strange tingling warmth down her arm. It got darker the farther they went but he navigated his way perfectly. She finally clamped her eyes shut since she couldn't see anyway. She stumbled around frozen stalagmites and rocks relying only on his gentle pull. Kimiko had always been independent so having to rely on someone was new. She wasn't quite sure how she felt about it.

Suddenly, he dropped her hand. "Wait here," his voice was next to her ear. She felt him leave. Kimiko chanced opening her eyes. The darkness was pressing down on her and she felt an onrush of panic and resisted the urge to scream. She felt for the wall and encountered something wet and cold. Ice, she tried to calm herself but her panic was rising quickly. She began to breath fast.

"Hey, Kimiko, you okay?" She hugged him tightly when she felt him grip her arm. She didn't let go for a while until he carefully disentangled her arms from around his waist. He was a foot taller than her five foot frame. She blushed furiously in the dark, what was she doing?

"No, I told you I don't like caves!" She tried to calm herself and stop herself from hyperventilating.

"Sorry, I didn't think it was that bad, follow me."

"No, I'm not moving." She fixed her feet down. He sighed and hefted her into his arms. "What are you doing?" She threw her arms around his neck to steady herself.

"Hey, either you follow me or you try to find your own way out." Kimiko glared at him even though he probably couldn't see her face. She didn't want to go back through that blinding darkness.

"Whatever," she could feel his breath on her face. It smelled like snow mint. Her heart started pounding. What was happening to her, she barely knew him! She chalked it up to her previous hyperventilation.

"Close your eyes," she obeyed. He carried her for a couple more meters before lowering her on her feet. "Okay you can open your eyes now." Kimiko slowly opened her eyes and gasped. She was standing in a small underground cavern. The roof was made of thick ice but she could clearly see that they were under the river. The sunlight reflected on the ice beautifully.

"Wha-, what is this place?" She whirled around to face him. He smiled and shrugged.

"I found it some months ago, it's like a cave under the river." A seal swam above her. She pressed her palm to the low roof.

Maku wasn't sure what had prompted him to share this place with Kimiko. People told him that men would do anything for a pretty face and Kimiko was indeed pretty. He'd laughed then but here he was unable to divert himself from looking at her.

"Does Maku know about this place?" Kimiko turned and found him staring at her. She frowned, and looked down.

"No, he'll probably ruin it in his way." Bako shrugged, "how about you, do you have any siblings?" Kimiko clammed up. "Kim, what's wrong?" Kimiko looked at him sharply, he'd called her Kim. Only her closest friends called her that.

"No, it's okay, I'm an orphan," she shrugged as if it didn't hurt but Bako knew it did.

"Oh, I'm sorry Kimiko." He moved a bit closer. Kimiko stiffened when she saw that. She wasn't sure why she hadn't knocked him unconscious which was her normal routine. Maybe it was because he wasn't trying to flirt with her.

"No, it's okay, I don't even remember my parents so…" she shrugged again.

"I think you still miss them." Kimiko's head snapped up.

"How could I miss them, I didn't know them!" He saw a tiny flicker of hurt on her face but she covered it up.

"Yeah, but you still do, in your heart." Kimiko's head fell and Bako saw the hard wall she'd built around her heart crack but it came back the second he touched her arm.

"Fine, whatever," she shrugged off his hand and folded her arms. "How long have we been down here?"

Bako sighed, "about an hour."

"I have to go, Toph's going to be worried about me." Kimiko knew the blind girl probably wouldn't be worried even if she disappeared for the day, bored maybe, but not worried. She probably already knew where she was. She paused at the tunnel and then looked back at him, "after you."

"Do you need help?"

"No, I'll walk." She followed him out and Bako couldn't help wondering what he'd done wrong.


	5. Memories

**Kimiko has a troubled past (like Zuko but without the scar and the psycho father).**

**Sorry I forgot about the whole attacking generals theme but I promise to put it in the next chapter or whenever I finish the Kimiko thing (got caught up in it).**

**Love Is Strange**

Kimiko shook her head. Bako was okay, she had had no reason to blow him off like that. He'd just touched a very personal subject. She had lied, she did remember her parents. Not distinct pictures but just before she drifted off to sleep she'd remember a whiff of lavender perfume and a and someone laughing. And a lullaby, a quiet lullaby. It happened every night and it was like she was hanging on to fragile memories but no matter how hard she tried, they always slipped away before she could get them. She hated that, she didn't want anyone's pity. Pity was what she milked when she ran away when she was young. Big eyes, cute face, it was the perfect scam. Until she grew up and learned to fend for herself.

She sighed and diverted her thoughts, it was so boring here. As much as she loved the ice effects there were no flowers, no parks nothing fun to do. Maybe she should go to Ba Sing Sei. There was a lot more to do over there. She swallowed an ice cherry. They grew rampant in the cliffs and she'd never been afraid of heights before.

"I told you you couldn't resist me." Kimiko had the strongest urge to feed the bearer of the voice to a lion shark. At least she had her swords this time, she'd started toting them around again.

"Maku, go away," she was feeling irritated and not in the mood for talking to anyone. Especially not to him.

"Come on Kim…"

"Don't call me that, you, of all people, should never call me that."

"You let my brother call you that." Maku pointed out. Kimiko's eyes widened in surprise.

"What else did he tell you?"

"That you're a really nice girl with serious anger issues, why do you want to know?" She shrugged and nibbled another prune.

"No reason."

"Why don't you like me?" The guy looked exasperated. Gee I wonder, she thought, it's not because you're an egotistical jerk who tries to squirm his way into my good books almost daily. No, it couldn't be that.

"I don't know," she answered instead, "ice sherry?" She held out the small blue fruit.

"No, I don't want an ice cherry!" He looked annoyed. Girls probably fell at his feet. It was nice to let him know that she obviously wasn't going to.

"Good because I wasn't really going to give you one anyway." She took a bite out of the cherry.

"What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing, do you have any seal jerky?" She wasn't trying to be funny, she was actually hungry and fruits didn't cut it.

"You're impossible!" He got to his feet and began to stalk away.

"Glad to be of service!" She called after him.

"You really want us to go to see my parents?" Toph asked later in the tent. Kimiko nodded as she stuffed her clothes into a bag.

"Yeah, Chief Hakoda said he'd lend us a boat since Aang took Appa."

"It's because of Bako isn't it?" Kimiko paused in her packing.

"What, how do you know about Bako anyway?"

"The guy came here asking for you."

"When?"

"About three hours ago." Toph scratched her toes.

"I hate you," she grabbed Toph in a headlock.

"So, do you like this Bako guy?"

"No, of course not!"

"I can tell you're lying!" The girl said in the singsong voice she usually to annoy people.

"Quit sensing my vibrations."

"I can't help that you're a terrible liar." Kimiko sighed, remembering the cavern. "So do you?"

"No, maybe, I don't know!" She threw her arms in the air with an exasperated look on her face.

"Oh, then we're going to Ba Sing Sei." Toph snuggled down into her furs.

"What, wait, you were against that five minutes ago!" She faced the sleepy girl.

"Well, I changed my mind, the snow and cold is getting to me," she yawned. "Good night Goldie." The nickname was because of Kimiko's inability to resist shiny gold objects. She claimed it was because of her past life.

Kimiko sat quietly in the glow of the fading candlelight. "Goodnight Toph."

"Hey Bako," the man was pleasantly surprised to see Kimiko behind him. She looked a bit nervous, he hadn't expected her to talk to him at all after yesterday.

"Kim…iko," he caught himself. For some reason she felt a twinge of disappointment. She didn't mind him calling her that, it sounded right somehow. She'd hated her name, it sounded dumb to her. Katara claimed it was a beautiful name but Katara was a nice person. When he said it, it sounded almost, nice.

"Look I'm sorry about yesterday…" she began but he shrugged and gestured for her to sit down.

"It's okay, it was none of my business," they sat silently for a while.

"But you're right," she fingered the end of her waist length hair, "I do kind of remember them." Kimiko wasn't sure why she was telling him this, only Toph knew about it. Bako was silent and let her continue, "I have memories, they're not distinct but their there, lavender, someone laughing, and a lullaby." Bako watched the young woman settle herself next to him. She looked confused and sad. So unlike the hard sarcastic girl she usually was.

"Who's laughing?" Bako asked.

"Me," she squeezed her eyes shut, remembering the happy laugh in her dreams. She couldn't remember why she'd been happy or how she knew it was even her, she just knew she had been. She began to sing the lullaby quietly:

_Dreams are what you think_

_They're a window to your mind_

_And they're maps to what you seek_

_And what you hope to find_

_Find yourself if you are lost_

_Find your dreams before they're gone_

_Follow your dreams_

_Follow your dreams_

Bato waited until the last beautiful note was gone. Kimiko hadn't realized she'd been singing out loud. She blushed bright red.

"Wow, you have a beautiful voice." She shrugged and they were silent for a while.

"So, are you two still leaving?" He asked referring to her and Toph.

"Maybe, probably, it is kind of boring here." She shrugged.

"You really think so?" He smirked. She raised an eyebrow.

"Can you prove me wrong, besides the cavern I can't find much to do except cook, sketch and talk to Toph."

"Well this place does have its perks, want me to show you?" He stood up and held out his hand. Kimiko looked at it, then at him. He was grinning so she smiled back and took it.

For the next week Bako took her everywhere, they explored underground caves, swam with butterfly dragons, went penguin sledding and watched the sun set by the sea every evening. She didn't see Maku at all but she wasn't complaining. It was the best week of her life.

"I still say I won that race," Kimiko argued over their previous penguin sledding race.

"Come on, I was clearly ahead!"

"No I was, by at least a mile!"

"Fine, we'll call it a draw."

"Fine," she relented and they sat silently watching the sun descend.

"So, it's not too bad here, right?" He watched her profile. The pink glow of the sunset made her tanned brown skin glow. He caught his breath, she was so beautiful.

"No, not too bad," she shrugged and faced him. His eyes were fixed on her face. Why was he watching her like that? She fingered a strand of her hair nervously. He lifted a hand and tucked it behind her ear. She tensed.

"Kim…" she raised her head. He was searching her eyes. His hand tiptoed down her face and gripped her chin. Her heart began to pound. He watched her eyes then his gaze dropped down to her lips. He was going to kiss her. And she honestly wanted him to. Her eyes were already closing. She felt him come closer and his breath was warm on her face. Then finally, his lips met hers.

Kimiko would never admit it to anyone, but in all her fourteen years she'd never been kissed. Maybe it was because she normally threatened any guy who tried that with her blades. But Bako's kiss made her melt. It was sweet, loving and perfect. She forgot everything, the world blurred around her into a pink bubble that only contained them. Nothing else existed except the feel of his mouth on hers.

Bako hadn't even expected her to let him kiss her. She seemed like the kind of person who'd punch him in the face for trying that. But she had, and he was so glad she had. She tasted like ice cherries.

She drew back after a while. Both looked dazed and disoriented. Kimiko was blushing and nibbling her bottom lip.

"Well, that wasn't so bad." She touched her lips carefully, still wanting to preserve the feel of his lips pressing down on hers. Her voice sounded rough, she cleared her throat.

"Not that bad?" Bako was smirking at her despite the fact that he felt as dazed she. She was looking everywhere except at him. His smirk was unnerving her. "Let's try that again." He kissed her again, on her forehead, her nose and cheekbones.

"Mmm, you like that don't you?" Kimiko pulled back a bit with a small smile on her face.

"Kissing you, why wouldn't I like doing that?" He grinned down at her and claimed her lips again.

**Sorry if it was too sappy or whatever but I just wanted to get the Kimiko and Bako scenes over.**

**Ice cherries are my invention since there are sea prunes and those don't exist anyway and neither do ice cherries.** **Also, neither do butterfly dragons (kind of like sea horses but with butterfly wings) I made those up since platypus bears and flying bison don't exist either. Or sea ravens, or wolf bats, or badger moles or a lot of the animals they show on Avatar. R&R thx! **

**Also, I made up the song she sang so any relationship between that song and any other song is completely coincidental. **


End file.
